Just for Dogs and Kids Festivals/Fairs Blue Ridge Shenandoah Valley

From the Blog

OK, it is August and it is HOT! You have four choices to select from in this heat and humidity. One is to stay in your house in the air-conditioning (‘boring’) and the other is to put on the sunscreen and take a drive in the Blue Ridge Mountains northern Shenandoah Valley and have some fun. Here is what is hot for everyone including your dogs!

Summer Festivals reach their peak in August with country fairs wrapping up and local harvest festivals happening every week. Plus, of course, the Shenandoah Valley is known for its music festivals. As part of Go Blue Ridge Travel’s Kids Bucket List, here are three ‘Hot Happenings’ in the Blue Ridge Shenandoah Valley.

Hot Happening #1 – the Dog Days and Peaches Festival at Great Country Farms has something for everyone. On August 11th and 12th, Great Country Farms likes to say that this weekend the farm goes to the dogs! The Dogs Days at Great Country are all about fun with your family and canine companions. Bring the whole family for a romp in the play area and to u-pick peaches in their orchard. Jaclyn Jenkins of Great Country Farms said, “This is a great time to try out an obedience course presented by Dulles Training Center Dog Obedience Club without spending the high dollars. You can also let your dog have fun ‘dancing’ with the Foxtrotters. Plus we will have a Canine Nose Work police demonstration or better known as ‘Search and Find’. We have doggie vendors. Our peaches are ready to be picked.” There will be an impressive ability course, retriever contests, Doggie Olympics, and a performance that will make you bark! Bring your dog’s favorite item to enjoy a dip in the pond. Each pup will receive a doggie bag of goodies plus you can shop for fun gifts to bring home! All canine companions are asked to bring their owners on a leash and sport their finest rabies certification tag. Of course, canine drinking water and scooping bags will be provided.

This is a great time for kids and their dogs to have fun together event if those kids are 18 years and above!

Hot Happening #2 – the Mountain Jamboree at Massanutten Resort on Sunday, August 12th. The 3rd annual Mountain Jamboree Festival is packed full of surprises this year! This will be plenty of music, food, drinks, and other activities to keep the whole family happy! If you have never been to Massanutten Resort, you are in for a big surprise. First, the drive is wonderful whether you take Interstate 81 or you take the more scenic routes – Route 11 or Route 340. This festival begins at 3:30 and is all about music, kids activities, and good cold brew.

Zenaida Hall, Director of Shenandoah Valley Travel Association (SVTA) saids, “Massanuttern Resort does three large events a year to raise money for local non-profits. This is our third year as the recipient of the Mountain Jamboree proceeds. STVA provides all the volunteers for this event. The event is a good mix of family friendly activities with local food vendors participating. It is a wonderful relaxed festival event where you can spread your blanket out on the lawns and listen to the great music which is a combination of bluegrass and rock. Banjos, mandolins, fiddles, acoustic guitars, and other unique string instruments create fun fun music. Kids love the RVA Hoop Lovers!”

If you want to make a weekend of it and put yourself out for a Guinness Book of Records experience, we suggest starting on Saturday with the 8th Annual Infamous Route 11 Yard Crawl. Over 43 miles of bargain, this event will feature business side walk sales, yard sales, antiques, food and much more along the designated Scenic By-way of Route 11 in Shenandoah County. It will take you all day to move down Valley Pike. Pick a Hotel or Bed and Breakfast in the Shenandoah Valley to spend the night because you definitely will not make it to Massanutten on that Saturday. Woodstock is a great place to visit. Plan on going to the Woodstock Cafe and Shoppes for a late breakfast/lunch on Sunday before you head on down to the Mountain Jamboree.

Happening #3 – It is fair time in the Shenandoah Valley for the county fairs to kick in. Starting in July and every week after until the first of September there are fairs in Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. Our featured fair is the Shenandoah County Fair August 24th to September 1st in Woodstock, Virginia directly off of Interstate 81. Tom Eshelman, General Manager of the Shenandoah County Fair, saids “The fairs all the epidemic of what our counties in the Shenandoah Valley are all about. Agri-tourism and Going Local is huge in this area. The fairs lets you experience the change that is happening in the agricultural economy in the Shenandoah Valley.” County Fair popularity is on the rise. Why – because they are fun and represent the whole community! There is nothing that speaks more of the aura of the Shenandoah Valley more than a county fair. From a Pig Scramble to Harness Racing to a Beauty Pageant, to great musical entertainment, the Shenandoah County Fair is fun for all ages! Get your concert tickets today!